譯/莊蕙嘉
美國撤軍後 喀布爾機場成最後堡壘
For years, Hamid Karzai International Airport has been a main gateway to Afghanistan, an aspirational symbol of civilian life and normalcy amid military bases, warplanes and the scars of decades of fighting in the surrounding countryside.
多年來，哈米德．卡薩國際機場一直是前往阿富汗的主要門戶，在軍事基地、戰機及周遭鄉間數十年戰鬥留下的傷疤當中，它也是文明生活和常態的亮眼象徵。
But now the airport, known to all as Kabul International, has become the last stand in America's 20-year campaign in Afghanistan.
但是現在，這個被大家稱作喀布爾國際機場的地方，已成為美國在阿富汗20年軍事行動的最後據點。
If the United States and its allies can complete a deal for Turkey to keep forces in place to secure the airport, President Joe Biden can go ahead with his plan to maintain the U.S. Embassy — and diplomatic missions from allied countries — even after combat troops for the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization depart.
倘若美國和盟邦能達成一項協議，讓土耳其軍隊留下來保護機場，美國總統拜登就可繼續其維持美國大使館和盟國外交館處運作，即使美國和北大西洋公約組織的戰鬥部隊都撤離。
If not, senior American and NATO officials said, the consequences could be substantial: Biden's plans to try to retain a diplomatic presence in the country, as part of an international effort seeking to prevent a return to the grim Taliban-controlled era of the past, will most likely be cast aside, and access to the country by aid groups could be cut off.
如果不成，美國和北約高級官員說，後果將很嚴重：拜登嘗試在阿富汗維持外交駐員的計畫非常可能廢棄，這是試圖防止過去神學士控制的嚴酷時代再現的國際努力一部分。援助團體進入阿富汗的管道也可能被切斷。
"Security at the airport in whatever form or fashion it takes will be important, not only for the United States, but for any other nation that likewise plans to maintain a diplomatic presence in Kabul," Pentagon spokesperson John F. Kirby said.
美國國防部發言人柯比說：「機場安全無論以何種形式或方法實施都很重要，不僅對美國，對其他計畫在喀布爾維持外交駐員的國家亦然。」
James G. Stavridis, a retired admiral who served as NATO's supreme allied commander for Europe, put it more bluntly. "Without a secure airport, the ability to conduct day-to-day embassy operations in a large country like Afghanistan, which is the size of Texas, is significantly diminished," he said.
曾擔任歐洲北約盟軍最高指揮官的退役上將詹姆斯．史塔伏瑞迪斯，說法更直接了當。他說，「阿富汗這麼大一個國家，面積和德州相當，若沒有一座安全的機場，使館日常運作能力將被大幅削弱」。
"In addition to personal safety and ability to evacuate in emergencies, helos and planes are needed to move U.S. diplomats, aid workers, intelligence officers and support personnel around the country," he said.
他說：「除了個人安全和緊急狀況的疏散能力，也需要用直升機和飛機讓美國外交官、援助工作者、情報官員和協助人員在國內各地移動。」
Turkey for its own reasons wants to retain a presence in Afghanistan. As a Muslim-majority nation and a member of the Atlantic alliance, Turkey has played a consistent role in Afghanistan since 2001. It has about 600 service members in Afghanistan, where its main mission has been providing security for the airport.
土耳其想在阿富汗維持駐軍有其原因。身為穆斯林居多數的國家及北約成員，土耳其自2001年以來持續在阿富汗戰爭扮演一角。土國有大約600名軍人在阿富汗，主要任務是保護喀布爾機場安全。
While it is not clear that the Taliban would want to completely shut down the airport and isolate the country if they take full control of Afghanistan, the group has signaled that it will not accept the presence of any foreign troops, even from Turkey.
一旦神學士完全控制阿富汗，是否會徹底關閉喀布爾機場並孤立國家，尚不清楚，不過他們曾表示，不會接受任何外國部隊駐留，即使是土耳其。
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